AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

I had the privilege of seeing 70mm with the always favorite ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘Aliens’ and ‘Batman(1989). 2001 I used to get tired of because AFI would show it annually or more frequently. The break for me was good and the print they had was very good. Given the few years since I last saw it here, I was surprised to hear or don’t remember hearing the female voice onboard the space wheel coming from the left rear. I sat in the back row and don’t recall experiencing/hearing that. For audiences, the laughter at the deadpan wooden Bowman and HAL’s voice I think more a contemporary reaction to almost 60 yr old movie.

‘Batman’ (1989) I had not seen since 1989 and vividly remember seeing it downtown at the now closed Wisconsin 6. The print had a British 12 rating it so its safe to assume it was struck for British audiences. For such an aged print, there was maybe 1 film artifact that was not much of a detraction being the digital movie person I am or since 2001 :D Prince’s contribution to the soundtrack was great to hear and nostalgic because he has passed. Audiences just loved Jack Nicholson and his portrayal of the Joker. I have memories of how wrong I felt (and still do) with the casting of Michael Keaton and his donning the Batman costume with a thick six pack where he didn’t show it in real life as Bruce Wayne. In my mind Christopher Reeve defined superhero all the way (6'4" brawn, looks, etc).

‘Aliens’ was the most pleasant surprise. I distinctly remember the 1986 first (and only) 70mm viewing at the now closed downtown KF Fine Arts. Newsweek touted this the best summer movie with its banner on the cover. Sitting way in the back, as opposed to in my youth sitting very close to the screen to get that 180º periphery and surround, I experienced for the first time the audio track traveling from the front screen moving to the back when the Aliens title come on screen with that SHHHHHHHHH. Either I’m going deaf now (unlikely) or I think the presentation could have been played LOUDER. The audience at this show was very engaged, laughing and making comments to every Ripley expression, Burke being the snake that he was and the late Bill Paxton’s Hudson character’s every funny comment he would make.

All 3 films audience members clapped at the very end. I don’t think even this year’s ‘The Odyssey’ was as well received and successful in engaging audiences like these 3 movies did. I believe it just goes to show you how well made and how well they stand out after 40 years!

I had the privilege of catching ‘Project Hail Mary’ and the director’s cut of ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ recently. I see they have a 70mm trailer that I’ve never seen before but it doesn’t show off the sound and picture as it should. The only 70mm trailer I remember is the one that (primarily in the KB/Cineplex Odeon days) used to play that had the letters fly on screen ala Superman/Superman II credits with the lettering effect.

I missed ‘Project Hail Mary’ IMAX presentations but the 70mm at the Silver was pretty good, Sound effects came thorough nicely and was engaging. However, for some reason or no reason I’m tired of Ryan Gosling. I can’t get the image out of my mind where he keeps rubbing his feet in one scene thinking athlete’s foot in his ‘07 movie 'Fracture’. watching it at the now closed AMC Mazza Gallerie.

CETK was really great. I never caught the original release or the special edition in theaters. I don’t think the DC area got a 70mm anything, but I could be wrong. I’m thinking the Uptown may have had it after the Star Wars run. Not sure. When it aired on ABC-TV, I remember parts of it especially the additional FX they had where Richard Dreyfus' character is inside the mother ship. That scene isn’t in the director’s cut. Speaking of the Uptown, I believe the movie would have played better on its ginormous screen as opposed to the Silvers tiny (in comparison) one.

Aside from Dreyfus, it was great to see the late Teri Garr on screen. She’s such a great underrated actress. I think she got robbed not winning the Oscar for ‘Tootsie.’ And I saw a young Lance Henrikson! I didn’t know he was in this movie, too. A younger Bob Balaban..I think he was pigeon holed doing these scientific roles (2010, Altered States, Lady in Water). It’s like whenever they needed a guy with glasses and beard for a scientist/doctor role..hey let’s call Bob Balban! :).

The theater was pretty much filled for an older movie. Walking out, noticed the generational gap in how this almost 50 years movie was received. I could over hear some millennial negative reaction where one guy said this movie sucked! Some people just don’t see things in the time the original came out with its timing, pace and build up and see things in that context and not in a contemporary one. Blame it on the ADD/ADHD and Marvel movies.

Looking forward to The Odyssey here in a few weeks!

Please rename theatre AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center as per website.

Seating Capacity:

Theatre 1 400 70MM/35MM

Theatre 2 200 35MM

Theatre 3 75

I finally made the time to visit here after many years (pre-pandemic? 2018/19 no!) to try to catch the 70mm bookings of ‘High Noon’ and ‘2001.’ Honestly, I was hoping to see the former as it was supposedly a ‘new’ print. For whatever reason or no reason, I missed them both and ended up seeing ‘Roses’ in #3. I’m thinking this is the first time I’ve seen a movie in the smallest of the 3 auditoriums. I know I’ve commented on its size before and was grateful to have avoided it since this place reopened 2x years ago. Projection and sound was as it should be and that’s very good. I did hear a whirring motorized sound at show time, thinking to myself.. ‘CURTAIN’ but didn’t see anything noticeably move. I’m guessing the masking mechanism kicked in but could see noticeable gaps at the bottom. Seats were comfy and not torn but I sat in front so I couldn’t see the ones in the back.

A few days ago, I caught ‘Megalopolis’, Francis Ford Coppola’s big $120M self financed movie from a year ago. AFI was showcasing a Coppola film retrospective for his AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. I had heard about the movie last year and its preferred showcasing at IMAX theaters but don’t recall if it ever made it to our market at all as it was another flop. Online booking is great and I wasn’t charged a service fee!

Gratefully and fittingly, it was in #1, the big auditorium and it was a visual and aural treat. The surrounds were great as well as one shocking violent scene when Caeser was shot. I believe the ones in my row collectively reacted with shock. It wasn’t as visceral as the gunshot scene in 2004’s Paris Hilton movie ‘House of Wax’ but moving enough. Not being a history buff, the Roman/modern day setting mostly went over my head although a lot of the audience just loved it in parts clapping at the end. I was thinking to myself this ‘One From the Heart Deux’ (another of his self financed visually looking but financially unsuccessful films from ‘82).

Since I arrived as the movie was starting, I couldn’t survey the auditorium for the bad seats. The one I sat in the back did lack support from wear and my lower back paid for it although the movie did lose some degree of interest ½ way through.

The box office still sports a THX certified sticker but neither 1 or 3 played the trailer. Being 2025, I’ve seen and heard the newer sound trailers and as I’ve said before, the venue should show off the venue sound capabilities to remind patrons why they should come and experience movies instead of watching them at home.

Memo to self and other future patrons. Don’t park on the streets or risk getting a $40 parking ticket as validation is only one hour. :)

I added my photo of the 2014 70mm leaflet which does not mention L of A or West Side Story. The theater closed in March 2020 due to Covid, for the rest of the year.

I find the marquee very interesting

Joker is opening here Thu in 70mm. Its a rarity to have the AFI run a more commercial movie here with the 20 screen & Imax Lite Regal just around the corner. With so much bad news reported these days, I don’t know about a dark film and judging from the trailer, a dark character study and probably an acting (insert award title) nomination for sure.

The photos on Film-Tech list an SA10 for the Historic theatre. That’s the EX decoder.

if you want the full experience at home, get the 4k bluray. From what i heard, both the bluray and the 4k bluray have the sound mix sourced from 70mm six track elements. The 2001 special edition DVD’s sound mix was remixed for the release.

Most likely the point is money. I see it all the time at the one venue where I am a projectionist. Cost $250.00 to ship a 35MM print. Cost $4.95 to get a digital copy. And Im sure to ship 70MM must cost a fortune. Plus anybody can start can digital. You need people who know what they are doing to run 70MM.

I’ve been saying the same thing for the last few years. I don’t think they’ve gotten rid of all their projectionists. I thought they had one for those rare 70mm shows. I remember one of the last bookings they only played 70mm on the weekends, thinking they ran digital or some automated showing on the weekdays when attendance is lower.

‘2001’ – the IMAX DCP is now over at the Lockheed intown Air & Space IMAX screen